1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sawhorse brackets, and more particularly, to a sawhorse bracket having leg supports that provide a highly divergent angle between the legs of a sawhorse assembly, and with the brackets designed to be positioned near the bottom of the sawhorse assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Although there are numerous examples of issued patents, patent applications, and non-patented commercial products that are designed to be used as sawhorse brackets, none of these inventions or products has a structure similar to the novel design of the present invention, nor do they function in the same way as the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 302,945 (Sargent, 1884) discloses a “supporting-horse” (sawhorse) having “cast in one piece” head-blocks (brackets), a top cushioning strip, clamps for the cushioning strip and wrought-iron brace-rods to provide support for the wooden legs. The angles of the legs are not specified.
U.S. Pat. No. 271,875 (Crowley, 1928) discloses an inexpensive sheet-metal sawhorse brace (bracket) with sockets to support the wooden legs. No dimensions for the socket angles are specified.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,506,389 (Samuelson, 1950) discloses a sawhorse bracket fabricated from sheet metal. Each bracket contains a pair of channels to support a pair of wooden legs, which are secured into the bracket with a nut-and-bolt assembly. The legs are detachable by loosening the nuts and sliding the bolts out of slots provided in the brackets. There is no description of the angle between the sawhorse legs.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,647,803 (Bohm, 1953) discloses a sawhorse connector bracket comprised of two similar pieces of stamped sheet metal that are riveted together. The assembly forms two channels for wooden legs and a seat for a cross piece. The angle between the sawhorse legs is not defined.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 177,888 (Wambach, Jr., 1956) is an ornamental design for a sawhorse bracket that appears to have a rectangular channel on the top to hold a beam and a pair of receptacles on the bottom to hold legs that are round in cross section.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,036,657 (Ladue, 1962) discloses sawhorse bracket designed for quick assembly and takedown. The invention comprises a pair of multi-component leg pieces and a multi-component top piece. The pieces appear to be fabricated from sheet metal. The invention incorporates a brace or strap between the leg pieces in order to “assure rigidity of the legs . . . . ” The angle between the legs is not defined, except for “a pair of legs 12 which extend from opposite sides of the beam 11 in downwardly divergent relation . . . . ” (Col. 1, lines 54-55.)
U.S. Pat. No. 3,078,956 (Larson, 1963) discloses a collapsible sawhorse bracket assembly that comprises a pivot pin to allow the legs to be folded together for storage. The invention incorporates a gravity-actuated lock pin that maintains the legs in the outward position when the sawhorse is upright and the legs are spread apart.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,338,408 (Evans, 1966) discloses a display package that holds a pair of sawhorse brackets and comprises a simulated cross beam section fabricated from cardboard that is gripped in the brackets.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,349,869 (Evans, 1967) discloses a sawhorse bracket comprising two identical pieces of stamped sheet metal. The bottom sections of the two sheet-metal pieces are formed into channels for receiving 2×4-inch lumber legs, and a gap between the top sections of the two assembled pieces forms a channel to receive a wooden cross beam. The two pieces are connected together by a pair of hinges. A bolt-and-wing nut assembly is provided to tighten the top ends of the two pieces onto the cross beam. The angle between the two sawhorse legs is not defined, except as follows: “The legs diverge downwardly at a convenient stance angle, to ensure the requisite stability.” (Col. 3, lines 31-33.)
U.S. Pat. No. 3,443,662 (Thompson, 1969) discloses a foldable sawhorse bracket assembly comprised of four pieces of sheet metal. To fold a sawhorse that comprises these brackets, the legs of the sawhorse are pivoted inward on pivot pins, and then the legs are moved closer together by a telescoping slide assembly attached between the leg bracket members. The angle between the sawhorse legs is not defined, except as “leg channels lie at a predetermined angle of divergence.” (Col. 4, lines 22-23.)
U.S. Pat. No. 3,627,075 (Enders et al., 1971) discloses a sawhorse bracket assembly that is comprised of two identical, triangular shaped pieces that are firmed by stamping. The angle between the legs of a sawhorse assembled with this device is not defined.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,656,581 (Larson, 1972) discloses a sawhorse bracket assembly, wherein each assembly is comprised of a pair of triangular shaped face plates (main support brackets) and a pair of auxiliary brackets that fit between the face plates and a wooden cross beam. The angle between the legs of a sawhorse assembled with the brackets is described as “an angle of 33° between the equal length sides 24 thereof, for it has been found that at this angle the supporting legs 14 (FIG. 1) provide more strength and stability to the sawhorse or the like structure.” (Col. 1, lines 43-46.)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,001 (Alexander, 1980) discloses a sawhorse bracket comprised of three metal members that are connected by a hinge pin that may be removed for disassembly of the three members. The sawhorse may be collapsed for transport or storage by pivoting the legs inward (toward each other). The angle between the legs when the legs are in the fully extended position is described as “not exceeding 45 degrees” and [column 3, lines 48-49]“preferably less than 45° and somewhere near 30°, although this value is not critical.” (Col. 2, lines 57-58.)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,663 (Barden, 1982) discloses a foldable sawhorse with a shape optimized to hold logs that are being cut into lengths for firewood. The invention consists of wooden legs or wooden panels that are connected by hinges and pins. Unlike the present invention, this device does not comprise channels for holding legs or a vertical upright support board.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,370 (Connell, 1984) discloses a collapsible sawhorse bracket comprising three pieces of stamped metal. The leg members are U-shaped channels designed to fit 2×4-inch lumber, and the top member is designed to fit 2×6-inch or wider lumber. The leg members are attached to the top member with one bolt each. The bolts serve as pivot pins, which allow the legs to be collapsed (pushed inward toward each other) for compact storage of the assembled sawhorse and extended (pulled apart) when the sawhorse is used. There is no description of the angle between the leg members when the legs are in the extended or in the collapsed position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,321 (Ulshafer, Jr., 1997) discloses an assembly for removably mounting a portable woodworking tool on the cross board of a sawhorse. This invention is dissimilar to the present invention in that it does not comprise receptacles for the attachment of legs and cannot be used to construct a sawhorse.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,381 (D'Armond, Jr., 1999) discloses a sawhorse bracket comprised of three rectangular, bent pieces of metal connected by bolts, wherein wooden board legs and a cross beam may inserted between the metal pieces, and the bolts may be tightened to lock the legs and cross beam into position. In a preferred embodiment, the metal pieces are fabricated from 3/16-inch AST AM36 steel. The angle between the leg supports is defined for this invention as follows: “[A]ngle β is approximately 45”. In alternate embodiments, β typically may range from 30° to 60°. However, angles of less than 30° or more than 60° are intended to come within the scope of the present invention.” (Col. 3, lines 15-17.)
U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,401 (Price et al., 2003) discloses a sawhorse and brackets wherein the brackets are manufactured from 14-gauge flat stock metal. This invention comprises an elevated cross beam that claims to prevent a saw blade from damaging the brackets or cross member. The elevated cross beam is a 2×4 (two inches by four inches) beam that is positioned on top of the main cross beam. The angle between the leg support channels is not specified.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,996 (Rump, 2004) discloses a bracket for sawhorses and other multiple piece stands such as roadside barricades that may constructed from either welded metal or molded plastic. The longitudinal axes of the channel and leg receptacles may be oriented at obtuse angles to each other. The angles between the two leg channels are not specified.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,757,323 (Sutton et al., 2014) discloses a sawhorse with a longitudinal channel that holds a wooden beam, which may be replaced when it has encountered excessive saw cuts or other damage. The invention may be constructed of molded plastic, wood, metal, other rigid materials or a combination of these materials. The invention comprises receptacles for insertable wooden legs. The receptacles “form a V shape,” but the angle of the V is not specified.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,807,498 (McCoy et al., 2014) discloses a sawhorse bracket comprising three channel-shaped elements for receiving two support legs and a cross beam. A web brace is provided between the two support leg channels to prevent lateral spreading of the legs. The invention is preferably fabricated from 14-gauge, hot-rolled steel that is “sheared and formed.” The angle between the legs appears to be 30 degrees based on the following description: “[T]he support leg bracket 16 channels are cut on a 15-degree angle cut and then welded to the bottom side of the retention flanges.” (Col. 3, lines 58-60.)
All of the examples of prior art have one or more of the following disadvantages that are overcome by the present invention. Some (e.g., Sutton) are of a design that does not allow for adjustment of the distance between two adjacent brackets of an assembled sawhorse; many (e.g., McCoy et al., Price et al., Connell) are made of thin, stamped-out pieces of sheet metal or molded plastic that do not have the inherent structural strength of the welded plate steel of the present invention; and some (e.g., D'Armond), although made of plate steel are constructed of multiple pieces that must be manually adjusted and tightened during each assembly of the sawhorse.